Hearts secure another January transfer as signings continue
Neil Critchley continues to reshape his squad
A second new Hearts signing in three days was completed this evening when Jamie McCart moved north from Rotherham United to sign a four-and-a-half-year contract. He joins Belgian striker Elton Kabangu, who arrived in Gorgie on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise on New Year’s Day.
As revealed by the Edinburgh News, McCart had agreed terms to join Hearts on a pre-contract this summer and was prepared to finish the season with Rotherham in England’s League One. Tynecastle officials decided to accelerate the transfer and agreed a £70,000 fee with United for a quick deal which gives them much-needed defensive reinforcement.
McCart explained to the official Hearts website why he wanted to return to Scotland after spells with Celtic, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and St Johnstone. He won the League Cup and Scottish Cup whilst at McDiarmid Park before heading to England. “I’m over the moon,” he said. “I think when I first heard of the interest from Hearts, I was obviously eager to hear what the manager and the club had to say, and then as soon as I spoke to them, it was an absolute no-brainer.
“The size of the club, the stature of it and the ambitions of it, it just made it such an easy decision for me. You speak to anyone in Scotland, and even when you speak to people down south, they understand how big a club Hearts is. The support, the fanbase, it's incredible.
“I don't think I've had too many positive results against Hearts. I think I scored my only St Johnstone goal in the Premiership against Hearts, but Tynecastle was my favourite stadium to play at in Scotland. I think a lot of players would say that. It's an incredible atmosphere. The fans are right on you, and it's a brilliant place to play your football, so it's a privilege to sign for Hearts.”
The 27-year-old does not expect automatic game time as a new signing and explained that he will need to earn a place in the team. Frankie Kent and Stephen Kingsley are out injured, leaving the Hearts defence weakened. McCart has been brought in as a long-term replacement for the Australian centre-back Kye Rowles, who is close to joining MLS side DC United.
“All you want really is the confidence of your manager, but I need to come in and show that I can perform at the highest level for Hearts, and that's something I'm really confident I can do, and I'm really excited about starting,” said McCart. “It's just getting in there and meeting all the squad and the staff, and hopefully impressing in training to get a start.
“But I think for everyone at the club, it'll just be focusing on the next game, putting in good performances, which I think, watching the team in the past few weeks and months, they have been very unfortunate with results. So, I think that's just got to be the short-term, is looking game-to-game and doing the best we can.”
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Hearts forward Callum Sandilands has joined Montrose on loan until the end of the season.
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